Stanchions suitable for holding the head of an animal are known in the art. Stanchions can be used to restrain horses or goats, but are typically used to restrain cattle. The stanchions are generally used to restrain one or more head of cattle for brief periods of time. By restraining cattle during feeding, consumption may be monitored to ensure that the animals are allocated an appropriate amount of food. Restraining the cattle also facilitates veterinary examination and treatment, protecting both the animal and the attendant or veterinarian from potential injury. In dairies, stanchions are often employed to hold the cattle during the milking process. Cattle stanchions may also be used to temporarily separate one or more head of cattle from the herd.
There are, however, several deficiencies in those stanchions of known designs. As an example, even if a bank or series of stanchions is going to be used with one type of animal, for instance cattle, it is not necessarily true that all of the cattle will be of appropriate size to use uniformly sized stanchion openings. Oftentimes bulls or male cattle will be significantly larger than the other female cows and calves. If there is a significant disparity between the size of the cattle in a particular herd serviced by a stanchion, problems may be encountered if the larger animals can not insert their heads in the stanchion openings, or the stanchion will not operate as designed when the larger head is in place. It is also possible that these larger animals will insert their heads into the stanchion opening when the restraining bar is released and it is intended that the animal may insert its head without entrapments. For the larger animal, if the stanchion opening is not expanded, the freely moving restraining bar may bear against the animal's head and neck regardless of the fact that the bar does not latch, and hurt that animal's ears when the head is withdrawn. This type of pain will not only startle the animal, but it will also make the animal wary of inserting its head into the stanchion opening, a result that is counter to the intended purposes of the stanchion. In view of this need to accommodate differently sized animals, it has been recognized as desirable, and the present invention has been designed to be adaptable into an expanded accommodating configuration in which the opening of the stanchion is enlarged.
Stanchions of known designs are intended to accommodate the insertion of an animal's head and releasably secure the animal until freed by an attendant. Those designs, however, do not provide means, nor are they configurable to lock the animal's head out. There are times during which it will be desired to use the stanchion as a block to the animals' admission; for example, to a feeding trough or milking station. In view of this need to preclude animal head insertion at various times, it has been recognized as desirable, and the present invention has been designed to be adaptable into a lock-out configuration in which the opening of the stanchion is releasably closed.
Stanchion are often times unfamiliar to cattle and therefore they may shy away from them and refuse to insert their heads. A primary reason for this is the narrow passage through which they must place their heads into the stanchion. Known designs, however, do not provide means, nor are they configurable to train an animal to their use. In view of this need to acclimate animals to the stanchion's use, it has been recognized as desirable, and the present invention has been designed to be progressively adaptable from an expanded accommodating configuration down to a releasably restraining configuration in which the animal may be held in the stanchion.
Though none of the above described configurations are known in presently available stanchion designs, it has been recognized as being of special benefit to have a single stanchion design in which the four configurations are accommodatable. The present invention has been designed for just such adaptation.
Still further, latching mechanisms of known designs presently used on stanchions release in response to a pressing action at or near the top of the stanchion opening within which the animal's head is confined. Experience has shown that animals may either intentionally or inadvertently as a result of their movement prematurely release the restraining bar before the attendant is ready. This can be dangerous for both the animal and attendant. Therefore, the present invention incorporates a new latch design that can not be released either by a pressing action from below or above the mechanism as may occur when an animal's ears flop about the top region of the stanchion opening.
In at least one embodiment, the present invention is a method for configuring a livestock stanchion between various orientations. The method includes providing a livestock restraining stanchion having two upright members that define a stanchion opening therebetween and through which an animal's head is insertable. A pivotal restraining member is positioned within the stanchion opening and is adaptable for restricting the size of the opening for releasably restraining an animal therein by entrapping the animal's head after insertion therein. At least one of the upright members is inwardly and outwardly movable relative to the other and oppositely positioned upright member for expanding and constricting a width of the stanchion opening. In one configuration, the movable upright member is positioned away from the opposite upright member into an expanded configuration thereby enlarging the width of the stanchion opening.
Optionally, the movable upright member may be moved to an extreme outward position so that an inserted animal's head is withdrawable from the stanchion opening when the pivotal restraining member is in a latched configuration.
Still further, the movable upright member may be moved to an expanded training position so that an animal unaccustomed to using the stanchion will not be deterred from inserting its head into the stanchion opening. To gradually orient the animal to the stanchion, the movable upright member is advanced inwardly from the expanded beginning training position at increments toward a releasable restraining configuration. As a result, an animal unaccustomed to using the livestock stanchion may be acclimated by advancing the movable upright member inwardly at regular intervals from the expanded training position along incremental positions toward the releasable restraining configuration in which the acclimated animal may be releasably secured. To accomplish securement of the animal, the restraining member is moved into a latched position thereby securing an acclimated animal within the stanchion opening.
The restraining member may be secured into the latched position using a latching assembly requiring outward, substantially horizontal pressure to actuate release of the restraining member. This feature helps to assure that the latch is not inadvertently disengaged by the animal's movement. Unlatching of the restraining member is accomplished by an attendant imparting outward, substantially horizontal pressure at a location within the latching assembly thereby releasing the restraining member from an animal securing orientation. Optionally, the latching assembly may be rotated about a substantially horizontal axis thereby releasing the restraining member from an animal securing orientation. Still further, an aligned tongue within a groove may be utilized for selecting between a latching and non-latching configuration of the latching assembly. By selectively aligning one of a plurality of tongues within the groove, selections between the latching and non-latching configuration of the latching assembly may be made.
In this same embodiment, because the movable upright member is pivotable in at least two directions about its lower end, that upright member may also be canted toward the opposite upright member into a lock-out configuration thereby constricting the width of the stanchion opening.
In an alternative embodiment, the movable upright member is only pivotable toward the opposite upright member into a lock-out configuration thereby constricting the width of the stanchion opening. In this configuration, insertion of an animal's head into the stanchion opening is prevented by the constriction of the width of the stanchion opening by the canting of the movable upright member thereacross.
As has been previously disclosed, one type of cattle stanchion includes a frame with at least one opening for receiving the head of an animal and a latching mechanism for alternately restraining and releasing the animal. One example of this type of cattle stanchion is shown in U.S. Pat. No. Re. 34,232. The disclosed stanchion includes a pivotal restraining member mounted in the opening of the frame. The pivotal restraining member may be moved between a vertical position for holding the head of an animal and a diagonally-extending position when not in use. The disclosure also includes a latching mechanism which may be set by an attendant to either a latched or an unlatched position. When in the latched position, the latching mechanism will engage the pivot bar as it is pivoted to the vertical position, securing the animal's head with the stanchion. The animal may be released by moving the latching mechanism to the unlatched position. If desired, the attendant may leave the latching mechanism in the unlatched position so that the animals may freely insert their heads into the stanchion and remove their heads from the stanchion.
However, cattle not being the most intelligent of animals, tend not to feed through a stanchion if they have been raised in a pasture without prior exposure to stanchions. If these animals are moved from the pasture to a feeding area with stanchions, these animals may starve without human intervention.
Several designs of stanchions have been patented. Examples of a few are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,798, U.S. Pat. No. 4,476,815, U.S. Pat. No. 4,051,813, and U.S. Pat. No. 1,077,519. However none of these designs have included disclosure of an adjustable stanchion with a restraining bar for acclimating animals for feeding through a stanchion.
An adjustable stanchion with an adjustable substantially vertical extending side frame member is desirable. With an adjustable side frame member, the adjustable member can be moved to enlarge the stanchion opening so that cattle may feed through the stanchion without having to rotate the pivotal restraining bar. The adjustable side frame member can be moved to slowly close the stanchion opening to acclimate the cattle to the stanchion whereby the cattle would still be able to feed while becoming accustomed to the stanchion. Thus the adjustable member could be returned to its original position and the pasture cattle would be using the stanchion as other acclimated cattle. An adjustable stanchion would thereby provide an improved cattle stanchion by offering a single stanchion that can be used for both acclimated and pasture cattle and a method for acclimating cattle without excessive human involvement. An adjustable stanchion which contained a plurality of adjustable side frame members to accommodate several cattle is similarly desirable.
An adjustable cattle stanchion with a displacing assembly connected to a side frame member whereby the displacing assembly can controllably move the adjustable side frame member to several different sizes to increase or decrease the stanchion opening is also desired.
An adjustable cattle stanchion containing several stanchion openings with a displacing assembly connected to several adjustable side frame members which can move several side frame members concurrently is also desired. By utilizing a displacing assembly, several adjustable side frame members may be moved concurrently, thereby several stanchion openings could be enlarged at once, and thus several heads of cattle could acclimate at one time.
An adjustable cattle stanchion where the adjustable side frame member may be moved in several different orientations in relation to the stationary side member is another desire. The adjustable side frame member could be moved parallel to the stationary side frame member or be moved diagonally to the stationary frame side member whereby the upper end of the adjustable side frame member is pointing toward or away from the stationary side frame member. By allowing several different orientations for the adjustable side frame member, an owner can decide which orientation is best suited to acclimate their cattle to the stanchion.
This invention includes features and/or components that have been invented and selected for their individual and combined benefits and superior performance as a livestock stanchion. The system includes multiple components that individually and singularly have new and novel features in and of themselves. Each of the individual components, however, work in association with, and are optimally mated to the others. Together, they yield an overall stanchion system that has superior collective effectiveness in controlling livestock.
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a cattle stanchion with an adjustable side frame member which may be positioned to acclimate cattle to a stanchion.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method of acclimating cattle to a stanchion.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a displacing assembly whereby the adjustable side frame member can be controllably moved to allow several different sizes of stanchion openings.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a displacing assembly connected to several adjustable side frame members so that several different stanchion openings may be controlled concurrently.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable size frame member that may be moved in several different orientations.
A more general object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable stanchion which may be used to efficiently and conveniently acclimate animals to a stanchion and which may be efficiently and inexpensively manufactured and maintained.
In accordance with these aims, the stanchion of the present invention provides a stanchion comprising a frame having a first substantially horizontal extending frame member and having first and second substantially vertical extending side frame members couple the first substantially horizontal extending frame member. The second substantially vertical extending side frame member displaces generally longitudinally from the first substantially vertical extending side frame member and the frame members define a stanchion opening therebetween. A restraining member is disposed in the stanchion opening, the restraining member being pivotally mounted to the frame for movement between a first position with the restraining member extending diagonally across the stanchion opening and a second position with the restraining member having a substantially vertical orientation.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides a stanchion comprising a frame having a first substantially horizontal extending frame member, a second substantially horizontal extending frame member in general proximate coextensive relation to the first frame member. A first substantially vertical extending side frame member couples the first frame member. A second substantially vertical extending side frame member couples the second frame member and the frame members define a stanchion opening therebetween. A restraining member is disposed in the stanchion opening, whereby the restraining member is pivotally mounted to the frame for movement between a first position with the restraining member extending diagonally across the stanchion opening and a second position with the restraining member having a substantially vertical orientation.
An embodiment of the present invention is a stanchion comprising a frame having a first substantially horizontal extending frame member, a second substantially horizontal extending frame member in general proximate relation to the first frame member, a third substantially horizontal extending frame member, a fourth substantially horizontal extending frame member in general proximate relation to the third frame member, a first substantially vertical extending side frame member couples the first and third frame members and a second substantially vertical extending side frame member couples the second and fourth frame members and the frame members define a stanchion opening therebetween. A restraining member is disposed in the stanchion opening, whereby the restraining member is pivotally mounted to the frame for movement between a first position with the restraining member extending diagonally across the stanchion opening and a second position with the restraining member having a substantially vertical orientation.
Another embodiment of the present invention is a method of acclimating animals to a stanchion comprising several steps. The first step is providing a stanchion comprising a frame forming a stanchion opening therebetween, wherein the frame further comprising a first substantially vertical extending side frame member and a second substantially vertical extending side frame member. The second step is displacing the second vertical side frame member from the first vertical side frame member. The third step is moving the second vertical side frame member toward the first side frame member thereby reducing the stanchion opening whereby the animals are acclimated to the stanchion and the stanchion can restrain the animals.
Among those benefits and improvements that have been disclosed, other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.